Delhi

Dr Balgopal Nair

•3d

I am looking for an SUV with an automatic transmission, preferably a hybrid (if not, then petrol), large legroom, good boot space, all-around sensors or a 360-degree camera, good infotainment, nice interiors, and climate control. Budget is around ₹18 lakh, can stretch to ₹20 lakh. I had Kia and Creta in mind, but I am unsure about the variant. There is also no hybrid option in these. I can wait if a better hybrid is coming out within this year.

Autocar India

•2m

Since you are looking for a hybrid SUV around Rs 20 lakh, the Toyota Hyryder, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, or the Victoris would fall into your consideration set and offer you the features you are looking for, like climate control and a good infotainment system.

However, since all three have the hybrid battery placed in the boot, you do lose out a lot on cargo volume, and since this is also a big priority for you, we would suggest you wait for the Renault Duster hybrid, which is coming around Diwali this year. While its boot will be smaller than the non-hybrid version, it will still be much larger than what the Toyota and Maruti hybrids offer. Since you are willing to wait, this would be a sensible option. Since you said you can wait for about a year, we would think this would be wise.

Explore cars mentioned

Maruti Suzuki

Grand Vitara

from ₹12.54 Lakh

Maruti Suzuki

Victoris

from ₹12.23 Lakh

Renault

Duster

from ₹12.23 Lakh

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Latest questions people are discussing

Sharvayu Zade

•1d

My father is planning to buy a new car and, after extensive research, he has finalized the Honda Elevate ADV DT (automatic). However, we are wondering if it would be worth waiting for the new Renault Duster before making the final decision. We are based in Nagpur and currently drive a 2011 Swift diesel. Our running is not very high, so we are now preferring a petrol automatic for better ease of driving and convenience. We test drove the Honda Elevate, Kia Seltos, and Hyundai Creta, and he liked the Elevate the most. He especially appreciated the seating stance and felt it offered a proper SUV-like driving position and commanding feel, whereas the others, although feature-rich, didn’t give him the same SUV feel. Our priorities are comfort, reliability, ease of driving in city traffic, and a strong SUV-like feel. Would it be worth waiting for the new Renault Duster, or is the Elevate CVT a good choice to proceed with?

Autocar India

•23h

If your father likes the Honda Elevate, he should go ahead with it. It's a practical, reliable, no-nonsense SUV that gets its fundamentals absolutely right; it merely lacks a bit of flash value compared to rivals. It perfectly suits your requirements of comfort, reliability, ease of driving around town, and SUV-like feel. Moreover, it's got one of the best naturally aspirated petrol engines in the segment, which is equal parts efficient, relaxed and fun, and it's mated to a smooth CVT automatic.As for the Renault Duster, it does seem like a good choice on paper. It does fulfill your requirements of a tall seating stance and commanding feel, but other than that, it is an unknown quantity - especially in terms of ease of city driving and reliability. We would recommend going ahead with the Honda Elevate.

Honda Elevate

Renault Duster

Amit Setiya

•1w

Which one would you prefer between the Tata Sierra and the Renault (or Dacia) Duster Hybrid, considering my annual running is around 7,000-8,000 km, including about 2,000-3,000 km on highways? I am particularly interested in the Sierra TGDi AT variant, but the Duster Hybrid makes the choice a bit confusing. Please advise.

Autocar India

•1d

Since you are concerned about mileage, a diesel or petrol-hybrid does make sense, and we can see your confusion between the two. Generally speaking, the hybrid would be a safer bet in the long run, given the uncertainty around diesel with the authorities, plus you will also have a quieter powertrain. However, we have yet to drive the hybrid Renault Duster, and this will only arrive in the second half of this year. So, you would have to wait until then.

Renault Duster

Trevor de Nate

•2d

I’m planning to purchase a petrol automatic SUV in the ₹15 – 20 lakh (on-road) price range and would really appreciate your guidance. Here’s what I’m looking for: Best possible real-world fuel mileage in bumper-to-bumper city traffic — this is very important since I drive mostly in the city. And on good weekend of a month for highway or outtoors Automatic transmission that feels smooth and stress-free in traffic jams (not jerky). Long-term ownership focus — I plan to keep this car for several years, so I want: High safety (good crash ratings and safety features) Strong reliability and durability Low maintenance costs Good after-sales support and service network in Karnataka SUV models I’m considering: Hyundai Creta (automatic petrol) Kia Seltos (automatic petrol) Tata Nexon (automatic petrol) Hyundai Venue / Venue N Line (automatic petrol) Skoda Kushaq (automatic petrol) Mahindra XUV700 (automatic petrol — if it fits the budget) If you’ve driven these in city conditions, or own one, please let me know: How is the actual mileage in city traffic? How comfortable and smooth is the automatic transmission in stop-and-go traffic? Any issues with maintenance, reliability, or service costs you experienced? Which variant (mid / top) offers the best value for long-term ownership? Also which transmission to go for TC, DCT, AMT, IVT, AT

Autocar India

•1d

You have a wide choice of cars, but based on your requirements, we would suggest going for the new Kia Seltos.Within the Seltos range, the 1.5 litre IVT automatic in the HTX variant fits within your budget and offers a very good mix of premium and essential features. It meets almost all your requirements. The 1.5 litre naturally aspirated engine is refined, and the IVT gearbox is silky smooth, especially at low speeds, which makes it extremely easy to drive in stop go city traffic. It also has enough performance for weekend highway use and, while fuel efficiency is not phenomenal, it should consistently return better figures than the turbo petrol options you have shortlisted. The newer generation Seltos has also grown in size, interior space and overall cabin quality, which is now among the best in the segment. Ride quality has improved significantly too, and it feels comfortable both in the city and on the highway.The Tata Nexon and the new Hyundai Venue are good options, but their turbo petrol engines paired with DCT gearboxes are not as smooth as the Seltos’ IVT. The Seltos is also a size larger, more comfortable and feels more premium overall. The same applies to the turbo petrol powered Skoda Kushaq, which again will not feel as smooth as the Seltos in daily use. The Mahindra XUV 7XO is another size up and, while its 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine is powerful and smooth, the larger size makes it less easy to drive in the city and fuel efficiency will be much lower. Within your budget, the AX3 variant just about fits, but it misses out on several features that the Seltos offers.The Hyundai Creta is also a good option and uses the same engine and gearbox as the Seltos. However, it is expected to be replaced early next year and, compared to the Seltos, it is smaller, less spacious, offers fewer features and is similarly priced. Because it is nearing replacement, the current model will also age quicker. That said, if you are getting a strong deal on the Creta, it is still worth considering.Another car you should look at is the Maruti Suzuki Victoris Strong Hybrid. It meets most of your requirements and will be even smoother to drive at low speeds, as it runs on electric power for a large part of city driving. Being a Maruti Suzuki, reliability and after sales support are strong points. It has also scored a 5 star BNCAP rating, and as a hybrid, fuel efficiency is exceptional. In fact, you can expect close to double the mileage of most of the cars you have shortlisted.A few things to note, however: the Victoris is not as spacious as the Seltos, especially in the rear seat, and boot space is compromised due to the hybrid battery pack under the boot floor.

Kia Seltos

Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Tata Nexon

Hyundai Venue

Skoda Kushaq facelift

Mahindra XUV 7XO